Communication Routing Hub Using Customer Records for Service Identification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Managing and routing communications between multiple services and customers is challenging, particularly when using a single communication platform, as it is difficult to determine the intended service and access relevant customer information for appropriate workflow processing, leading to reduced customer satisfaction and increased operational costs.

Innovation Solution

A communication platform that uses customer and service communication addresses to associate incoming and outgoing communications with customer records, enabling improved routing and providing context to experience agents through customer information, including contact and billing details, account status, and application status.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a single communication platform is used to manage communications between multiple services and customers, then communication routing capability is provided, but it becomes difficult to determine the intended service and access relevant customer information for appropriate workflow processing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication routing capabilityVSAvoidservice identification complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the communication routing process by introducing distinct message types (initial communication messages versus subsequent communication messages) and separate processing workflows for each. Initial messages trigger customer record creation and service identification, while subsequent messages leverage existing records for faster routing. This segmentation resolves the complexity by creating specialized pathways for different communication stages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by creating and storing customer records during the initial communication phase. When a customer first contacts the platform, their information is captured and stored in a customer record before subsequent communications occur. This preliminary setup enables rapid service identification and information retrieval in future interactions, eliminating the need to重新 determine service intent for each message.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If customer information is stored and accessed through communication addresses, then communication routing efficiency is improved, but managing and effectively using customer information becomes challenging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication routing efficiencyVSAvoidcustomer information management
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces communication addresses (telephone numbers, email addresses) as intermediaries between the customer information and the routing system. Instead of directly managing complex customer records, the system uses these standardized addresses as keys to retrieve and associate customer information with incoming messages. This intermediary layer simplifies information management by providing a uniform access mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback loops where customer information is continuously updated and retrieved based on communication patterns. The system receives communications, identifies the customer through their address, retrieves their record, processes the communication, and updates the record with new information. This continuous feedback cycle ensures customer information remains current and accurately reflects their interactions with multiple services.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple services use the communication platform to communicate with the same customer, then service coverage is expanded, but it becomes difficult to manage communications and route them to the correct service

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice coverageVSAvoidcommunication routing accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by associating specific services with specific communication addresses within the customer record. Each service a customer interacts with is linked to a particular telephone number or email address. When a message arrives, the system examines the communication address to determine which service the customer intends to contact, enabling accurate routing even when multiple services are involved. This localized association ensures reliable service identification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Loss of information

If customer records are created and maintained for each customer, then context information is preserved for better service, but data management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecustomer context preservationVSAvoiddata management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal customer record structure that serves multiple functions simultaneously. Each customer record stores communication addresses, service associations, and interaction history in a standardized format that can be used across different services and communication channels. This multi-functional record design reduces data management complexity by eliminating the need for service-specific data structures while preserving comprehensive customer context.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12500981B2Communication router and hub
Publication Date: 2025.12.16 BETTER HOLDCO INC
  • US12500981B2 patent drawing
  • US12500981B2 patent drawing
  • US12500981B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A communication router and hub are provided. In examples, a communication platform enables communication between a customer and a service. Customer information associated with a customer is stored as part of a customer record. The customer record may be associated with the customer using a customer address (e.g., a telephone number or an email address) and/or a communication address associated with the service. Thus, in response to a subsequent communication, the communication platform may identify the customer record based at least in part on the customer address and the service communication address, thereby enabling improved communication routing for incoming and outgoing communications associated with the customer. Additionally, customer information from the customer record may be presented to an experience agent of the service, such that the experience agent is able to better assist the customer.